What Are GMO’s & Why My Family Avoids Them

I think that our government should ban foods that contain genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. I also understand that a ban on GMOs is very unlikely in the near future due to corporate power, including the corporate and political power of Monsanto. My passion and understanding is the reason I shared this image on my Facebook page:

photo credit: TheOccultTruth.com

Shortly after posting this image I was shocked. Through comments and personal messages I discovered that there are people who have never heard of Monsanto or even GMOs. This caused me to sit down and think. I quickly came to the realization that I (most likely) have family members that are unaware of what the letters GMO mean. It was my shock and realization that motivated me to write this post.

I honestly believe that the majority of the people in the United States are trusting when it comes to the food that they purchase in order to feed themselves and their family. Many people feel that the foods they are purchasing are safe, maybe not healthy but at least safe. I believe that the majority of foods occupying our grocery store shelves are NOT safe for humans or our environment. I desire a ban on GMOs.

It is not unrealistic for me to want a GMO ban. Many countries have banned GMOs (click here to find out where). Haiti burned GMO ‘aid’ seeds while chanting “Long live native maize seed!”! GMOs are not just bad for your health they are bad for the environment.

However, back in the U.S. foods containing GMOs occupy our farmland and our grocery store shelves.

What does GMO stand for?

Genetically modified organism.

What is a GMO?

“A GMO (genetically modified organism) is the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. The foreign genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. Because this involves the transfer of genes, GMOs are also known as “transgenic” organisms.

This process may be called either Genetic Engineering (GE) or Genetic Modification (GM); they are one and the same.”

When first researching GMOs I happened upon an eye-opening article that discussed Roundup ready seeds. Roundup ready means that an entire crop can be sprayed by the pesticide Roundup, the crop will continue to live and thrive (because it has been genetically modified) and all other life will be killed. The earth is now contaminated by the pesticide, the crop will soon be harvested, the crop arrives on the shelf at your local grocery store. You may have eaten this crop today. The next time you are in a garden section grab a bag of Roundup and read all of the warnings on a bag , do you want to eat that or serve it to your family?

What foods are GMO?

Commercial GM crops in the U.S. include:

94% of Soy

90% of Cotton

90% of Canola

95% of Sugar beets

This is not a complete list but please notice these ingredients, they are in most if not all processed foods. Think of cornstarch, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, oils, soy protein, anything soy, and the list goes on and on.

I do not think that GMOs are safe or healthy for our bodies or our environment. I believe severe harm is being done to the Earth and humanity.

“Genetically modified foods have been linked to toxic and allergic reactions, sick, sterile, and dead livestock, and damage to virtually every organ studied in lab animals. The effects on humans of consuming these new combinations of proteins produced in GMOs are unknown and have not been studied.

Crops such as Bt cotton produce pesticides inside the plant. This kills or deters insects, saving the farmer from having to spray pesticides. The plants themselves are toxic, and not just to insects. Farmers in India, who let their sheep graze on Bt cotton plants after the harvest, saw thousands of sheep die!

Herbicide tolerance lets the farmer spray weed-killer directly on the crop without killing it. Comparative studies on the toxic residues in foods from such crops have not yet been done.” -Institute For Responsible Technology

What more could I possible say? This is why I avoid feeding GMOs to my family.

And to lighten up the mood, here is another picture I posted on my Facebook page which pretty much sums up what I have been talking about in this post:

photo credit: someecards

I hope that one day we won’t have to worry about GMOs growing in our farmland or occupying our grocery store shelves. But I do my research to make sure that my family avoids GM foods to better our bodies and our Earth.

If you would like to read and learn more about the dangers that are in the food that our on our grocery store shelves I highly recommend this book by Robyn O’Brien. She discusses the dangers of America’s food supply.

**I made it all the way through this post without flying off the handle about the company Monsanto, whom I strongly dislike. I would like to end this post with a quote about that company:

“Instead of working with the beauty, the genius and the abundance that has already been engineered into nature, Monsanto seeks to violate nature, overriding healthy plant genes with poison genes that generate insecticides right inside the crops.” – Natural News.com

Follow Me...

Let's Stay Connected, Subscribe to Earth Mama's World:

Leave Blank:Do Not Change:

Your email:

Hi, I’m Angela….

I am a happy, peaceful homeschooling mama trying to live a natural life. I love cooking real food, homeopathy, and making natural products. I also enjoy yoga, meditation, and gardening. If you would like to know more, please ask!